Why John Cena Believes in the Future of Wrestling Movies

Recent wrestling movies like The Wrestler and The Iron Claw have rekindled WWE icon John Cena’s optimism for the genre.

During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, guest host Jeff Goldblum inquired about Cena’s perspective on wrestling movies.

“I think movies about wrestling are a tough subject to tackle,” Cena said. “And I think movies like The Wrestler [and] The Iron Claw have done a really good job in telling the story of the individuals.”

Cena elaborated, “It is such a larger-than-life thing. And there were so many memorable names. You gave me four that were marquee players in Pittsburgh, [The] Iron Claw is about four marquee players in Texas, [and] The Wrestler is a story about a marquee player who has passed his prime and what he is trying to do in collectively picking up the pieces of his own life. It’s that ‘rockstar not being able to leave the stage’ story.”

He went on to describe WWE as a “treasure chest” of stories ripe for adaptation. Both The Wrestler and The Iron Claw give Cena “hope that more stories can be told.”

The Wrestler, a 2008 film starring Mickey Rourke, portrays an over-the-hill wrestler who continues in the ring due to financial hardships. Rourke and co-star Marisa Tomei received Oscar nominations for their performances in this intense drama.

Meanwhile, The Iron Claw was written and directed by Sean Durkin, featuring Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, and Harris Dickinson. It details the lives and careers of Texas’s famous Von Erich family. Unlike The Wrestler, The Iron Claw did not earn any Oscar nominations.

John Cena has long been a prominent figure in WWE, having reigned as a 16-time world champion and achieved nearly every accolade imaginable. In recent years, he’s transitioned to acting while still making part-time appearances in WWE.

At the 2024 Money in the Bank PLE, Cena announced his in-ring retirement tour. He plans to embark on one last world tour throughout 2025, after which he will retire from wrestling.

Early in his acting career, Cena starred in WWE-produced movies such as The Marine and 12 Rounds. By the mid-2010s, he began appearing in mainstream films like Sisters and Trainwreck.

Cena’s major breakthrough came with his leading role in the comedy Blockers. That year, he also starred in the Transformers spinoff Bumblebee. Following those successes, he secured roles in Playing with Fire, Dolittle, and F9.

The year 2023 marked another milestone for Cena. He returned to the Fast and Furious series in Fast X and had a cameo in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie. He continued to diversify his portfolio with roles in Hidden Strike, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, Vacation Friends, and Freelance.

Cena has maintained his momentum into 2024. He kicked off the year starring in Matthew Vaughn’s Argylle and appeared in Ricky Stanicky. He is currently promoting Jackpot!, the latest film from Paul Feig, featuring Simu Liu and Awkwafina.